Just because nothing is hot on the trade front isn’t going to keep Yankee brass from convening for meetings in Tampa.

General manager Brian Cashman arrived last night and was spotted watching Single-A Tampa play Clearwater in a Florida State League tilt. More executives, including president Randy Levine, who gets involved when decisions involving money are on the table, are expected today. Minor-league head Mark Newman will be on hand as will various scouts.

Of all the teams following the Yankees, the White Sox seem to be paying the most attention. And while the Yankees don’t have an interest in bringing Jose Contreras or Javier Vazquez back, industry sources indicated last night they could be interested in 27-year-old right-handed starter Jon Garland or 30-year-old lefty reliever Matt Thornton.

The White Sox had Bill Scherrer and Dave Yokam – special assistants to GM Ken Williams – in St. Petersburg, Fla., recently to watch the Yankees, and Scherrer was on hand last night at Kauffman Stadium. In addition, the White Sox have had scouts following Single-A Tampa.

Garland, who makes $10 million this year and $12 million in 2008, is 7-7 with a 4.15 ERA. His career mark is 89-75. Thornton, 30, is 2-3 with a 4.96 ERA. Left-handed hitters are batting .296 (16-for-54) against him.

Garland is not terrible. But, clearly, 2005 was a career year for him. His plus-side is that he’s durable. But, he’s really just a tad above league average in terms of effectiveness.

If the White Sox want to look at this as a salary dump, like the Phillies/Yankees deal last year for Abreu, then I would take Garland for a low-level prospect and plug him into Igawa’s spot, without question. But, if the White Sox want someone like Clippard, or at that level of prospect (or greater) in return, then I would pass on this one.

Comments on Jon Garland & Matt Thornton

Ugh, God, don’t bring Garland here. Garland sucks. A feel pitcher who has pitched well against the Yanks lately, but isn’t really that good. All of these White Sox pitchers are vastly overrated from the World Series year. They were simply touched by God that year and they played weak offenses in the playoffs (the one team that could hit, Boston, scored runs off of them).

He’s making a lot of money and they would definitely demand something in return. Cashman would be nuts to do this. A guy like Garland will beat the Devil Rays in July, but do you think he can beat the Red Sox in a big game? I don’t.

I wonder what they want for Thornton. I’m not a total velocity hound, but it does raise your eyebrows when you have a lefty who throws 97 miles an hour. I wouldn’t want him on the big-league club, but if Cashman thinks Nardi can straighten him out, he might be an interesting pickup.

Interestingly, the same article says, “While the Rangers are pushing switch-hitting first baseman Mark Teixeira hard on the Yankees, they aren’t biting.” They say the Rangers want Joba, who the Yanks won’t give up. There has to be a trade that can be made without giving up Hughes, Joba or Kennedy.